As the borders across Europe opened, my itchy feet could not be contained. They were actively looking for somewhere to wander. Luckily, Christian had to go to Amsterdam for a short IT course. Of course picking him up was the perfect excuse to get out of the house.

Some people need drugs or alcohol, I need travel. I need to go, go, go! There is a hunger inside me that grows until I feel I could burst. It is all encompassing. It is ever in my head. I have a visceral need to see things, do things, try things. All the things.

Corona made things hard. Not at first. At first we were very busy adapting to a new way of life. New cleaning routines. New grocery shopping norms. I was busy making masks & keeping my family safe. But as numbers went down, and restrictions relaxed, my feet got itchy. My wanderlust flared up.

I watched the first people venture out. I ventured out. A photography night nearby. A social distanced walk with a friend. Finally a trip to Provence & the lavender fields. Each time a little more daring. Each time equipped with masks, hand sanitizer, and lots of social distance. Then came Amsterdam.

I was not prepared for Amsterdam. Except for public transportation, Amsterdam is maskless. Even in stores! People are strolling the busy streets, faces turned to the sun. Entire faces. Not just the parts between sunglasses & masks. It was terrifying.

Our little group wore masks, and spoke English. The added benefit of that combination was a magic safety bubble. The people around us looked at us askance, and gave us space. I can’t really complain. I felt safer in our invisible bubble, I’m not a big fan of people walking shoulder-to-shoulder with me. I’m not a big fan of being jostled as I walk.

Still, even with the invisible bubble & our masks, we felt uncomfortable. We moved out of the busy streets quickly and enjoyed the beautiful, quieter side streets before moving away from downtown and visiting Amsterdam Noord. I had never touristed over there & it’s a completely different world from the city center. Edgy, industrial, artsy. Truthfully, a little bit more my speed than downtown.